Absinthe, corkscrews, santons: 8 unusual museums to visit in France
Have you visited any of these or know others to add?
There are all sorts of different museums all across France
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France has a great tradition of museums and the country is full of museums celebrating weird and wonderful things.
From a hat making museum to one dedicated to the alcohol absinthe, you can find all sorts of museums telling the stories of different aspects of life in France.
Many of these museums are small in size, meaning they are the perfect place for a pitstop without getting overwhelmed by too much content.
Here are some of the more unusual ones you can visit.
Atelier-Musée du Chapeau
Located in the town of Chazelles-sur-Lyon in the Loire, the hat museum is home to hats dating back to the 18th century.
Once upon a time, the town was a hub for hat making with around 30 hat factories in the 1930s.
Read also: Medieval murder and turbulent history of Burgundy’s Semur-en-Auxois
Musée de la Bande Dessinée
The comic book museum is situated in Angoulême in southwest France and it has the largest collection of comic books in Europe.
There is a comic book festival in the town every January, so this is definitely the place for all bande-dessinée lovers.
Musée de l’Absinthe
Yes - this is a museum dedicated to absinthe!
Found in Auvers-sur-Oise, about an hour’s drive north of Paris, everything in the museum is related to the drink which was a favourite among 19th century artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, who incidentally is buried in the town.
La Demeure du Chaos
This contemporary art museum in Saint-Romain-au-Mont-d’Or near Lyon has been described as an “abode of chaos” by The New York Times.
It has over 2,500 works of art and is free to visit.
Musée du Tire-Bouchon
The corkscrew museum in Menerbes in Provence is dedicated to over 1,000 corkscrews which are found in the cellar of a winery, meaning you can try a glass before admiring the toppers.
Read also: ‘Mediaeval’ French boat to sail from Brittany to Scotland
Musée de la Ganterie
In Grenoble, you can find the glove making museum: it is located in the cellar of an old factory and houses lots of gloves - surprise, surprise - as well as tools of the trade.
Le Musée du Fumeur
A museum dedicated to smokers. This is found in Paris, and tells the history and culture of smoking as well as including a vape room.
Musée du Santon
This Marseille folk museum revolves around small figurines representing Provincial village life.
The small figures are statues of people from village life and are made from breadcrumbs, wax or crushed glass.
Have you visited any of these or know ones to add? Please let us know via news@connexionfrance.com. Thank you!
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